In order to improve engine performance, reduce emissions and increase fuel efficiency, it is known to equip internal combustion engines with mechanisms to vary the angle between the camshaft and the crankshaft. It is known to use fluid pressure in chambers created by respective portions of a drive gear/sprocket/stator and a rotor for a camshaft phaser to maintain and shift a rotational position of the rotor with respect to the stator. This known technique involves complicated hydraulic systems and controls. Typically, small engines used in recreational vehicle applications, for example, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and boats, often do not have the available oil pump capacity to drive a typical hydraulic variable cam phaser assembly (VCT). Typically, it is difficult to obtain the advantages of cam phasing without the need for hydraulic oil supply in smaller engines.